Chapter Forty-Seven: Fury in the Palace of Tranquility

Upon hearing these words, Zhu Changluo felt a surge of emotion in his heart. He let out a long sigh and said, "Consort Liu, I have not forgotten the promise I made to you. All these years, I have tried to keep my word. The matter with Youjian has indeed put me in a difficult position—I lost my composure. But rest assured, I promise you this will never happen again!" Zhu Changluo's eyes grew moist as he murmured to himself, "They say I am the Son of Heaven, the supreme ruler to whom all under heaven submit. But who truly understands me, who sees how little control I truly have? Sometimes I think being Emperor is not as good as being a common man. Yet I have no choice—my father entrusted me with our ancestors’ legacy. Though I am not a man of great talent, I know I must do my utmost to protect it. I thought I was doing the right thing, but now, because of this, I have wronged Youjian so deeply!"

As he spoke, Zhu Changluo looked resolutely at Consort Liu, who was still kneeling and weeping. "Beloved, do not worry. This time, it is I who was wrong. I will make it up to Youjian. I will ensure he becomes the master of this realm, the sovereign above all men! I have made up my mind—when Youjian regains his health, I will appoint him Crown Prince of the Eastern Palace!"

It must be said that these words were devastating in their impact. Consort Liu was left speechless, forgetting even to cry, and Zhu Hao, who was listening in the room, was so shocked he could scarcely contain himself.

Zhu Hao’s shock was not because his father intended to name him Crown Prince, but because his father planned to do so under these circumstances. If Zhu Changluo had several decades, or even just a few more years to live, Zhu Hao might have felt only joy at the news. But as one who had crossed over from another world, Zhu Hao knew clearly that his father had only a handful of days left to live. Though Zhu Hao had already resolved to help his father defy fate, he did not know if he could truly change the course of history. If he failed, with no allies in the palace or the court, accepting the title of Crown Prince now would surely mean a swifter death than his father’s! The thought sent a cold sweat over Zhu Hao.

Unwilling to let this happen, and disregarding his own frail condition, Zhu Hao struggled out of bed and rushed out. Seeing his parents in a moment of heartfelt emotion, he felt a twinge of guilt for interrupting—but with his own life at stake, he could not afford to hesitate. He hastily declared, "Your son, Zhu Youjian, greets Father! Has Your Majesty fully recovered? It is my fault for causing you concern!"

Zhu Changluo, upon seeing Zhu Hao, was delighted. But noticing his son’s pallor, he quickly said, "There is nothing wrong with my health. You need not worry. You have just awakened and are still weak. You should rest in bed and need not trouble yourself to greet me!"

Propping himself up, Zhu Hao replied weakly, "Father, I truly had no strength to rise! But just now, I overheard your conversation with Mother, and I was so startled by your words that I found the strength to come greet you! What you just said, Father, I truly cannot accept! I beg you to reconsider!"

Zhu Changluo, thinking his son was merely being modest, encouraged him, "My mind is made up. Youjian, no more objections. Judging from your handling of the palace fire and your conduct at the royal hunt, you far surpass Youxiao. I believe you will make a fine emperor in the future! Of course, before that, you must first fulfill your duties as Crown Prince and study well. Only then will I be able to entrust the empire to you after I am gone!"

Hearing his father’s words, Zhu Hao realized he had misunderstood his intentions. He quickly added, "As the ancients said: When a father dies, his son does not change his will for three years; this is filial piety. Our Great Ming has stood for two hundred and fifty-two years, and when the founding emperor established the dynasty, he decreed that the heir should be the legitimate eldest son. The current Crown Prince, my elder brother, is the Empress’s son and the eldest—by the founder’s edict, he is the only rightful choice. How could your son dare covet the throne and commit an act that would anger our ancestors? I beg you to reconsider, Father!"

These words were unlike anything Zhu Hao had ever said before—far from what a child might be expected to utter. But to him, the throne was now a blazing pyre, and he had no wish to be thrown into the flames before he could control them. He had no choice but to try everything to dissuade his father.

Unexpectedly, Zhu Changluo was not angered, but instead looked at him in delight. "For one so young to speak with such understanding—I truly have not misjudged you! You are indeed my best successor! As for the founder’s edict, more than two hundred years have passed since then—it may no longer be fit for our time. I care not what others may say of me; let them hurl their curses. If I can restore the dynasty, that is enough. Besides, although Youxiao is nominally the Empress’s son, he is not her natural child. I can make your mother Empress, and then you will be the legitimate eldest son—no tradition will be broken! These are not your worries, Youjian. Your duty now is to recover. Once you are well, you will help me govern the realm! Now, go rest!"

Zhu Hao had truly not expected that his impassioned plea would only strengthen his father’s resolve instead of changing his mind. He was at a loss, even amused by the irony of it. But things had come to this—further argument might only anger his father, who might, in a fit of rage, send him back to the dungeons of the Embroidered Guard. Remembering the horrors of that place, Zhu Hao could not suppress a shiver, and dared say no more, returning obediently to his room.

Back in his chamber, Zhu Hao mused, "It seems my father is resolute for now. I will have to find another chance to persuade him. I only hope it works next time—otherwise, my life may truly be forfeit!" He also prayed silently, "Let today’s events not reach the ears of Empress Guo, that old witch! If she hears of it, who knows what evil she will stir up!"

After Zhu Hao returned to his room, Zhu Changluo did not visit again. Instead, he comforted Consort Liu, instructed her to care for Zhu Hao, and then left her chambers.

There is a saying among the people: the more you fear something, the more likely it is to happen. Today, those words proved true for Zhu Hao. While he was silently praying that Empress Guo would not learn of the day’s events, a cacophony of crashes erupted in Kunning Palace. The Empress’s bedchamber was in utter chaos—every object smashed and scattered across the floor. The assembled maids and eunuchs knelt trembling, not daring to make a sound.

Empress Guo’s furious voice rang out, "Chuntao, are you certain your source is reliable? Is the news accurate?"

Chuntao, her personal maid, originally from her own family, was the only one in the room still standing. She stammered, "Th-this should be true! The same person gave me the tip before the great fire..."

With a wild scream, Empress Guo swept all her favorite ornaments from her dressing table to the floor. "This is infuriating—Zhu Changluo, you heartless wretch! How cruel you are! What have I done to deserve this? For years I've endured and endured, and you take my forbearance as a license to disregard me! Do you really think I am so easy to bully?"

She hurled another antique vase to the ground; the exquisite porcelain shattered, but her rage only grew. She smashed everything within reach, venting her fury and frustration in a frenzy.

At last, perhaps exhausted by her outburst, Empress Guo sank to the floor and wept. The maids and eunuchs dared not offer comfort, until finally Chuntao, unable to bear her mistress’s grief, spoke gently, "Your Majesty, it is useless to dwell on sorrow now. You must think of a plan—do not let His Majesty truly depose you and replace the Crown Prince. All your years of suffering would be in vain!"

Chuntao’s words seemed to ignite something in Empress Guo. She slowly rose, her gaze turning from anger to icy resolve, her expression shifting from pain to steely determination. She spoke quietly, "Zhu Changluo, your heart is cold—do not blame me for matching your ruthlessness! You would depose me for that low-born woman? Even if it costs me my life, I will not let you have your way! We shall see who prevails in the end. I will make you regret this—I will make you regret today’s decision! Hmph!"

With that, she turned to Chuntao, her face utterly calm. "Chuntao, send someone at once to Consort Zheng’s palace. Tell her I have considered her previous plan and I agree. Tell her to begin at once—I will not wait another moment! Assure her I will do everything to support her."